The influence of N load and harvest intensity on the risk of P limitation in Swedish forest soils
Akselsson, Cecilia LU
; Olle, Westling
; Alveteg, Mattias
LU
; Gunnar, Thelin
; Ann-Mari, Fransson
and Sofie, Hellsten
(2008)
In Science of the Total Environment
404.
p.284-289
- Abstract
- Nitrogen (N) is often considered to be the major factor limiting tree growth in northern forest
ecosystems. An increased N availability, however, increases the demand for other nutrients
such as base cations and phosphorous (P) which in turn may change which nutrient is the
limiting factor. If P or base cations become limiting, N will start to leach which means a risk
of increased eutrophication of surface waters. As many studies focus on base cations, this
study instead aims at estimating P budgets on a regional scale for different harvesting
scenarios relevant for Swedish conditions.
P budget calculations were carried out for 14,550 coniferous sites from the Swedish... (More) - Nitrogen (N) is often considered to be the major factor limiting tree growth in northern forest
ecosystems. An increased N availability, however, increases the demand for other nutrients
such as base cations and phosphorous (P) which in turn may change which nutrient is the
limiting factor. If P or base cations become limiting, N will start to leach which means a risk
of increased eutrophication of surface waters. As many studies focus on base cations, this
study instead aims at estimating P budgets on a regional scale for different harvesting
scenarios relevant for Swedish conditions.
P budget calculations were carried out for 14,550 coniferous sites from the Swedish National
Forest Inventory, as weathering+deposition–harvesting–leaching. Three scenarios with
different harvest intensities were used: 1) no harvesting, 2) stem harvesting and 3) wholetree
harvesting. The input data were derived from measurements and model results.
The P budget estimates indicate that harvesting, especially whole-tree harvesting, result in
net losses of P in large parts of Sweden. The highest losses were found in southern Sweden
due to high growth rate in this area. In the whole-tree harvesting scenario the losses
exceeded 1 kg ha−1 y−1 on many sites. N budget calculations on the same sites indicate that
N generally accumulates in the whole country and especially in the southern parts.
Consequently, the N and P budget calculations indicate that the forests in southern Sweden
are in a transition phase from N-to P-limitation to growth. This transition will proceed as
long as the accumulation of N continues. These results are important in a sustainable
forestry context, as a basis for assessing the risk of future N leaching, and in designing
recommendations for abatement strategies of N deposition and for application of wood ash
recycling and N fertilization. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/3567813
- author
- Akselsson, Cecilia
LU
; Olle, Westling
; Alveteg, Mattias
LU
; Gunnar, Thelin
; Ann-Mari, Fransson
and Sofie, Hellsten
- organization
- publishing date
- 2008
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Phosphorous, Nitrogen, Budget, Forest soils, Sweden, Harvesting, Weathering
- in
- Science of the Total Environment
- volume
- 404
- pages
- 284 - 289
- publisher
- Elsevier
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:52949122187
- ISSN
- 1879-1026
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 20d14f73-85b1-4e55-8b60-c975946d39f3 (old id 3567813)
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-01 12:37:24
- date last changed
- 2025-01-03 00:35:52
@article{20d14f73-85b1-4e55-8b60-c975946d39f3,
abstract = {{Nitrogen (N) is often considered to be the major factor limiting tree growth in northern forest<br/><br>
ecosystems. An increased N availability, however, increases the demand for other nutrients<br/><br>
such as base cations and phosphorous (P) which in turn may change which nutrient is the<br/><br>
limiting factor. If P or base cations become limiting, N will start to leach which means a risk<br/><br>
of increased eutrophication of surface waters. As many studies focus on base cations, this<br/><br>
study instead aims at estimating P budgets on a regional scale for different harvesting<br/><br>
scenarios relevant for Swedish conditions.<br/><br>
P budget calculations were carried out for 14,550 coniferous sites from the Swedish National<br/><br>
Forest Inventory, as weathering+deposition–harvesting–leaching. Three scenarios with<br/><br>
different harvest intensities were used: 1) no harvesting, 2) stem harvesting and 3) wholetree<br/><br>
harvesting. The input data were derived from measurements and model results.<br/><br>
The P budget estimates indicate that harvesting, especially whole-tree harvesting, result in<br/><br>
net losses of P in large parts of Sweden. The highest losses were found in southern Sweden<br/><br>
due to high growth rate in this area. In the whole-tree harvesting scenario the losses<br/><br>
exceeded 1 kg ha−1 y−1 on many sites. N budget calculations on the same sites indicate that<br/><br>
N generally accumulates in the whole country and especially in the southern parts.<br/><br>
Consequently, the N and P budget calculations indicate that the forests in southern Sweden<br/><br>
are in a transition phase from N-to P-limitation to growth. This transition will proceed as<br/><br>
long as the accumulation of N continues. These results are important in a sustainable<br/><br>
forestry context, as a basis for assessing the risk of future N leaching, and in designing<br/><br>
recommendations for abatement strategies of N deposition and for application of wood ash<br/><br>
recycling and N fertilization.}},
author = {{Akselsson, Cecilia and Olle, Westling and Alveteg, Mattias and Gunnar, Thelin and Ann-Mari, Fransson and Sofie, Hellsten}},
issn = {{1879-1026}},
keywords = {{Phosphorous; Nitrogen; Budget; Forest soils; Sweden; Harvesting; Weathering}},
language = {{eng}},
pages = {{284--289}},
publisher = {{Elsevier}},
series = {{Science of the Total Environment}},
title = {{The influence of N load and harvest intensity on the risk of P limitation in Swedish forest soils}},
volume = {{404}},
year = {{2008}},
}